IATA Reports Continued Growth in Global Passenger Demand in April 2024

The total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs), rose by 11.0% compared to April 2023.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released data for April 2024, revealing a robust increase in global passenger demand. The total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs), rose by 11.0% compared to April 2023. Capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), increased by 9.6% year-on-year, with the overall load factor improving to 82.4%, up 1.0 percentage point from April 2023.

Key Highlights:

International Demand: International travel demand surged by 15.8% compared to April 2023. Capacity grew by 14.8%, leading to an improved load factor of 82.2%, an increase of 0.7 percentage points.

Domestic Demand: Domestic travel demand increased by 4.0% year-on-year. Capacity was up by 2.1%, and the load factor rose to 82.6%, a 1.5 percentage point increase.

Regional Performance:

Asia-Pacific: Airlines in this region led the way with a significant 32.1% year-on-year increase in international demand. Capacity grew by 29.3%, and the load factor climbed to 83.7%, up 1.7 percentage points.

Europe: European carriers experienced a 10.1% increase in demand. Capacity rose by 10.0%, and the load factor was 83.3%, up 0.1 percentage points.

Middle East: Middle Eastern airlines saw a 14.2% increase in demand, with a 9.9% increase in capacity. The load factor improved by 3.0 percentage points to 79.3%.

North America: Demand for North American carriers increased by 6.5%, while capacity grew by 10.3%. However, the load factor fell by 2.9 percentage points to 81.0%.

Latin America: Airlines in Latin America reported a 14.5% increase in demand and a 13.5% increase in capacity. The load factor reached 84.1%, the highest among the regions, up 0.7 percentage points.

Africa: African airlines experienced a 15.5% increase in demand, with a 10.4% rise in capacity. The load factor increased by 3.2 percentage points to 73.0%.

Domestic Market Insights: Domestic travel showed slower growth. China's growth moderated to 4.2%, reflecting the end of a holiday surge. Japan’s growth was nearly flat due to the end of the fiscal year and the beginning of the school spring holiday, but the overall trend in Japan remains positive.

IATA Passenger Survey Findings: A recent IATA survey highlighted that 97% of passengers were satisfied with their last flight, and 88% agreed that air travel positively impacts their lives. This sentiment underscores the importance of air connectivity and the need for sustainable practices in the aviation industry.

Comments from IATA Director General: “Passenger demand has been growing for 36 consecutive months. As we enter the peak northern summer travel season, there is every reason to feel optimistic for a strong summer with airlines offering a wide range of travel options,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. He also emphasized the industry’s commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, a critical challenge that will be a focal point at the upcoming IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit in Dubai.

IATA's data underscores the continued recovery and growth in the aviation industry, driven by strong international and domestic travel demand. As the sector heads into the peak travel season, airlines are poised to deliver a wide range of travel options while focusing on sustainability and customer satisfaction.